Another week of NFL action in the books, another helping of overreactions on what we just saw. After having three games on Sunday decided by a single point, there aren’t many overreactions happening but there definitely are a few. When it comes down to it; it’s better to overreact in the NFL than to under react. If they’re not talking about you, something is probably wrong.
All of the 2-0 teams are playoff contenders
No season is won or lost after just two games but that doesn’t stop some NFL pundits from jumping the gun on teams when they surprisingly impress or disappoint to start the season. In the case of the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, their stock has risen with their impressive starts but to call them legit playoff contenders already is a tad bit too much.
The Dolphins have been impressive for their first two wins, which happen to have been both on the road, this season but face a brutal stretch of games coming up. They’ll host Atlanta this weekend, and then travel to New Orleans before coming back for the Baltimore Ravens. If they end up 5-0 after that, you can sell me on their playoff chances.
Andy Reid has the Chiefs off to a 2-0 start but are he and Alex Smith enough to turn around a 2-win team from a year ago into a playoff team? Two games just isn’t enough to be convinced, in my opinion.
All of the 0-2 teams are in trouble
While there is often the case of premature jubilation for teams who have surprising starts in the NFL season, the dial can swing just as far in the opposite direction for teams who disappoint to start the year. Some of the 0-2 teams are bad, and will remain bad for the rest of the year.
Those teams are fairly obvious because they lack the personnel and opportunity to improve within the season. No one’s expecting the Jags to make a magnificent turn-around and contend for the AFC South title after their 0-2 start, for example. The Giants, Redskins, and Steelers are all winless so far in 2013 and there are varying degrees of panic within each team. The Giants have shown themselves to be a sloppy, turnover-prone mess in their first two outings while the Redskins have allowed themselves to be scored on early and often so far.
The Steelers have lost two more-or-less winnable games, but their lack of a running game is painfully obvious and the defense is still without a turnover and has only 1 sack through the first two weeks. While it’s never fun to lose games no other 2-game losing streak is more obvious than when it’s the first two games. If these three teams each went on a 2-game skid during the season there wouldn’t be the same level of panic displayed but each starting as poorly as they have, fans are sweating under their collars. The Steelers haven’t started 0-2 in over a decade so this is unfamiliar territory for both Tomlin and Roethlisberger.
The Redskins started last season 3-6 before all the working parts came together for their playoff run. If they can stop teams from scoring a gazillion points on them in the first half of games, they stand a chance. The Giants are already coming off of a disappointing season, and were already facing questions about their offensive line and the defense. Still, all three of these teams have some serious talent on their rosters. It’s not completely out of the question for a turn around. Too early for them to be “Clowning for Clowney”.
Seahawks doubters are “idiots”
After the Seahawks gave the 49ers a sound beating at home on Sunday night, the always outspoken defensive back Richard Sherman spoke with NBC’s Michelle Tafoya.
"“There are a lot of pundits and ignorant idiots who thought, ‘Oh, the Seahawks are gonna lose this game.’ Well, please, please don’t doubt us again. Every time you doubt us, you look stupid.” – Richard Sherman"
Slow down there cowboy. I’m not one to underestimate Sherman by any means, I’m a fan of a good trash-talker just as much as the next gal, but please don’t take one win to mean that anyone doubting your team is of lesser intelligence. That makes you look stupid. Granted, his comments are probably more of a case of Richard Sherman wanting to bait ESPN’s Skip Bayless than anything else.
The Seahawks clearly have the 49ers number, going back to last season, but just at home. The 49ers took care of the Seahawks in San Fran in a low scoring fare early last season. There’s no reason to think that might not be the case again. The Seahawks are a most impressive team, don’t get me wrong, but they’re far from perfect. They will most likely top most of the “Power Rankings” for the week, and rightfully so, going on a week by week basis, they were the most impressive team of Week 2. Doesn’t guarantee they’ll remain that way.
That kind of cockiness could spell for a “trap game” against Jacksonville this Sunday.